Toy vehicle



B. TRAVIS -TOY VEHICLE April 12, 1938.

2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed 001;. 23, 1956 w a a l 6 r XMMW Ben 77'0 v/ls Hi iofneys.

' B. TRAVIS April 12, 1938.

TOY VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1936 F E v Lnv 'enior. Ber) Tray/ls mm, Hiiomeys.

Patented Apr. 12, 1 938 UNITED STATES 8 Claims.

My invention relates to a toy vehicle to be used as a play toy for children and of an educational character.

An object and feature of my invention in such 5 a toy which is preferably a vehicle provided with wheels in which I provide a motor, a power transmission and a clutch inter-connecting the motor and the power transmission, therefore the child has under his control and operation the motor and the clutch by which a mechanical drive may be connected from the motor through the transmission to the driving wheels of the vehicle or the drive can be disconnected. In my arrangement I provide preferably a spring motor of the elastic band type which, when the clutch is in the closed position, the motor may be wound or tensioned by the child. In order to simulate the resemblance to the engine of a motor vehicle, the elastic band motor can only be tensioned by being wound in one direction. This is done by a pawl and ratchet arrangement, the pawl also retaining the winding means from a reverse motion. Then after the motor is wound the clutch may be released and a drive is effected J from the rotor by the motor through a pulley type of transmission to the driving Wheels. A further feature of my invention in regard to the pulley type of transmission is a connection showing a step up drive from the motor, this of course being a reverse from that of the ordinary automobile: in the toy a relatively slow rate of rotation of the rotor communicates a much higher rate of rotation to the driving wheels of the vehicle. Thus the child learns to understand the purpose of a change of speed ratio between the motor and the wheels of the vehicle.

Another feature of my invention is in mounting the pulley gear train in such a manner that the complementary sets of pulleys may be adjusted as to their distance apart in order to maintain a proper tension on the driving belts. This can be readily manipulated to drive with either loose or tight belts or with varying tensions in between. A further characteristic of the pulley transmission system is that this is pivotally mounted as an assembly in relation to the driving axle. A desired tension in the final drive belt from the last pulley of the transmission to a pulley on the driving axle is obtained 50; by a resilient suspension of a free portion of the pulley transmission frame.

Considered in more detail the various characteristics of my invention comprise a vehicle body having a fixed axle with wheels rotatably 55; mounted thereon and a driving axle, this being provided with a driving pulley and with an automatic clutch which will only give a forward drive but not a reverse drive. The frame for the pulley drive speed ratio change gear includes a first vertical frame member pivotally mounted on the live axle and preferably extending vertically therefrom. This carries one set of pulleys mounted on what maybe considered as a counter-shaft. The main shaft is mounted on a second vertical frame which may be adjusted horizontally in relation to the first frame. This second frame has a series of small and large pul leys connected together and receives the direct drive by means of a belt from the rotor of the motor. Then by means of a series of belt connections, a step up speed drive is developed to the last pulley of the series on the main shaft. The drive belt from this last pulley to a pulley on the live axle also gives a step up. By the devices for varying the spacing between the counter-shaft and the main shaft the tension on the belts between such pulleys on such shafts may be varied and the tension on the drive belt to the live axle is maintained by a spring connected between the fixed structure of the vehicle and the floating or pivoted frame carrying the transmission.

. A further object and feature of my invention resides in the elastic band motor in which I provide a tube or other suitable frame structure, at one end of which I provide a rotatably mounted disc which may be turned by a crank, this having devices for attaching elastic bands thereto. The driving rotor is at the other end of the tube or frame and has a shaft with the first driving pulley thereon. The rotor is provided with a disc to which the ends of the elastic bands may be attached. The first driving pulley is provided with a clutch so that when this clutch is in closed position the bands may be twisted by rotating the first disc by the crank, this being prevented from reverse rotation by a pawl and ratchet device.

My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the vehicle partly broken away, taken in the direction of the arrow I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 taken in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows showing the pawl and ratchet on the winding end of the elastic band motor.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 2 showing the device for operating the clutch.

Fig. '7 is a perspective diagram of the pulley and belt drive.

In my invention I employ a vehicle body II, preferably made of sheet metal and having a top I2, two sides I3 and a sloping front I4 and a more or less vertical back I5. A partition I9 near the back and an intermediate partition I? may be formed of frames or thin boards tacked or otherwise secured to the sides and top of the body structure. This leaves the body open at the bottom so that the various features of the drive mechanism may be inspected. A- fixed axle I8 extends from side to side adjacent the rear and has wheels I9 rotatably mounted thereon. A live or driven axle 29 is also journaled in the sides I3 of the body and has the driving wheels 2| secured to this live axle. The live axle is shown at the front of the vehicle. No provision is made for steering as the device is intended to have only a straight line direction of travel.

The elastic band motor designated by the assembly numeral employs a tube 26 which is fitted in an opening in the back wall I5 and extends through the center partition II to which it is secured. This has a reduced neck 27 at its forward end and a shoulder 28. A fixed plug 29 is fitted in the rear end of the tube, this having a flange 39. The plug forms a bearing for a stub shaft 3I to which the winding disc 32 is connected, this disc being on the inside of the plug. A collar 33 has ratchet teeth 33' which are engaged by the pawl 34, mounted on the plug. A slot in the collar receives a pin 35 which extends through the shaft 3I, thus assembling the collar, ratchet and disc 32 to the shaft and caus ing the collar to form a thrust bearing. A crank 37 having a handle 38 is attached to the outer end of the shaft 3|. The rotor or driving end of the spring motor designated 49 has a short shaft 6! journaled in the reduced neck 27. On the inner end of this shaft there is a disc 42 having a series of hooks 43. The elastic bands 95 are stretched between the hooks 39 on the winding end of the motor and caught on the hooks 43 on the driving end. A drive pulley is on shaft 4 I.

The transmission supporting frame designated by the assembly numeral 59 has a normally vertical frame panel 5|, this having side uprights 52 with a bearing 53 on the driven or live axle 20. An upper cross bar forms an upper connection and a middle bar 55 a middle connection between these side uprights. The complementary frame panel employs upright side posts SI, a cross bottom connecting bar 62 and a top bottom connecting bar 63 (note particularly Figs. 1, 3, and 4) A telescopic connection 79 employs a pair of tubes 'I'I secured to the upper cross bar 54 of the frame 5! and a lower pair of tubes I2. slidably mounted in each tube is a rod I3 for the top and It at the bottom. These are shown adjacent the uprights 52 and connect to the frame 69 adjacent the'vertical side members GI and the cross members B2 and 93. These rods are adjusted by set screws I5 which are threaded through the cross members 54 and 55 and press on the ends of the bars I3. The whole frame is maintained from turning on the axle 29 by means of a suspension spring 16 connected as at TI to the frame 59 adjacent the top and at I8 to the partition I1 or other fixed structure of the vehicle.

The clutch 99 employs a plurality of lugs 9| on the outer face of the drive pulley 45 positioned to be engaged by a depressible rod 92 (note Fig. 2) which is slidably mounted in guideways 93 and 9 2 in the lower and upper cross bars 55 and 54. This rod is normally elevated by a lifting spring 95 bearing on the structure forming the guideway 93 and engaging a collar secured to the rod 92. An arch shaped cam 96 is secured to the upper end of the rod 92 and is exposed through a slot 91 in the top I2 of the body structure. This cam is engaged and actuated for depressing by a clutch arm 93 pivoted at 99 to the top I2 and having a handle I00. When the clutch is open for free transmission of power from the elastic band motor, the rod 92 is in its raised position due to the action of the spring 95 and the clutch arm 98 is positioned to one side of the slot 91. However moving this arm across the slot engages the cam end 96 on the rod 92 and causes a depression of the rod bringing it into a position to engage one ofthe lugs 9| on the pulley 45 which pulley rotates in the direction of the arrow IIII (note Figs. 2 and 7).

The assembly of the main shaft pulleys II 0 utilizes a nonrotatable shaft II I which is-located in the frame 60 extending between the upright side posts 5|. mounted in the frame EI and extends between the upright bars or posts 52. Both of these may be formed of rods with nuts on the end.

The belt drive from the drive pulley 45 to the main shaft employs a belt I I5 having guide lead pulleys I I6, I I! and I I8 giving a change of direction to the first pulley H9 on the main shaft. The step-up pulley and belt drive employs a pulley I29 on the main shaft connected to the pulley I I9 by a sleeve IZI. A drive belt I22 leads to the first pulley I23 on the counter shaft. A second pulley on the counter shaft !24 is connected to I23 by a sleeve I25 or these may be formed integral. A belt I26 leads to the third pulley I 21 on the main shaft to which is connected the fourth pulley I28 on the same shaft. A belt drive I29 carries to the third pulley I30 on the counter shaft to which pulley is connected the fourth pulley I3I on the counter shaft by a sleeve or the like or being formed integral. A belt drive I32 leads to the fifth pulley I33 on the main shaft.

The final drive I 49 has a drive pulley I II connected to the pulley I33 on'the main shaft by a sleeve or being formed integral therewith. A belt I42 leads downwardly and forwardly to a loose pulley I43 on the driven or live axle 29. An automatic clutch M5 employs a clutch sleeve I46 secured to the pulley I43 and a complementary clutch sleeve I47 fastened to theaxle 20 by a set screw I48 or the like. These sleeves have complementary clutch jaws I49 arranged in the form of under-cut hooks with outside bevels I 50. A light coil spring l5! on the axle 29 bears between one of the journals 53 and the pulley I43 tending to bring the clutch discs into contact. Manifestly these can only drive in one direction. In a reverse drive the bevels I59 thrust the hook jaws out of operating drive.

Various changes may be made in the details of the censtruction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wheeled toy having a driving axle with Wheels, an elastic band motor having a winding The counter shaft assembly H2 is disc with elastic bands connected thereto and a pawl and ratchet to prevent reverse movement of said disc, a rotor having the other ends of the bands connected thereto, a pulley connected to the rotor having a plurality of stop lugs connected thereto, a clutch rod slidably mounted, a spring maintaining the rod out of contact with the said lugs, a cam end on the rod, a clutch arm pivotally mounted on part of the vehicle to engage the said cam and to position one end of the rod to engage the lugs to prevent rotation of the said pulley and a belt and pulley drive from the pulley of the rotor to the said driving axle.

2. A wheeled toy as claimed in claim 1, the belt and pulley drive including a belt and pulley transmission having a frame with a first panel pivotally mounted on the driving axle and a second panel slidably mounted on the first panel, a spring connected between the second panel and a fixed part of the vehicle, one of the panels having a main shaft mounted therein, the other panel having a countershaft, pulleys of varying sizes on the main and the countershafts with belt connections for the pulleys and a final drive from one of the said shafts to the axle.

3. In a wheeled toy vehicle a belt and pulley transmission including a first and a second panel, an adjustable telescopic connection to space said panels, a main shaft on one panel, a counter shaft on the other panel, a belt and pulley change speed having interconnectingpulleys on both shafts, a spring motor, an initial drive from the motor to one of the pulleys of the transmission, a final drive from another pulley of the transmission to one of the wheels of the vehicle.

4. In a wheeled toy vehicle as claimed in claim 3, the telescopic connection of the panels com.- prising a plurality of tubes connected to one panel, rods connected to the other panel fitting therein and adjusting screws extending inwardly from one end of the tubes, each to engage the end of a rod to thereby vary the tension on the belts between the pulleys on the main counter shafts.

5. Ina wheeled toy vehicle, a driving axle having wheels thereon, a change speed transmission mounted in a frame pivoted to the said axle, a spring secured to one portion of said frame and a fixed structure, a spring motor, an initial drive from the spring motor to the transmission mounted in the frame, a final belt drive from a pulley mounted in the frame to a pulley on the axle.

6. In a wheeled toy vehicle, a driving axle having wheels, a transmission frame having a first panel pivoted to the axle, a second panel, a telescopic connection between the first and the second panel, a spring connected between the second pan-e1 and a fixed part of the vehicle, one of the panels having a main shaft, the other having a counter shaft, each with a series of pulleys forming a belt and pulley transmission train, the pulleys on the two shafts being connected by belts, a spring motor, an initial drive from the motor to a first driven pulley on one of the shafts, a. final belt drive from the last pulley of the belt and pulley transmission train to a pulley on the axle.

'7. In a wheeled toy vehicle as claimed in claim 6, a clutch comprising a collar connected to the pulley on the axle, the said pulley being loose thereon, a complementary collar secured to the axle, said collars having interlocking jaws positioned to give a drive in one direction only.

8. In a wheeled toy vehicle, the combination of spring motor having a rotor with a pulley with a plurality of lugs thereon, a slidably mounted clutch rod, means to normally elevate said rod to bring its lower end out of the path of the said lugs, the rod having a cam shaped upper end, the vehicle having a top with an opening therein, said end being adapted to project through said opening. a clutch arm pivoted to the top and movable over said opening to engage the cam end of the said rod and depress the said rod into a position for its lower end to engage the said lugs and a transmission drive from the said pulley to at least one of the wheels of the vehicle.

BERT TRAVIS. 

